Part of Reverie's success has been its energetic and entertaining presentation, in which lighting plays a vital role. The props and backdrops are simple but effective, and the costumes are colourful and complex. The whole visual aesthetic and creative texturing of the show is designed around colouration and illumination of the performers and what they are wearing. It's also important for the performers to be able to see clearly what they are doing, as millimetre precision is needed to co-ordinate their gravity-defying moves.
Lighting equipment for the show's Italian is being supplied by Mixer Sound & Light. Based just outside of Milan in Romanengo - Cremona, they are one of Italy's leading rental companies, says the company, winning the contract to supply lighting, rigging and audio for the tour MD and company owner Walter Taietti explained that the show had not previously used moving lights before, he says: "Although it seemed an obvious move, they needed some convincing!"The moving light count consists of 40 Robe Wash 575 XTs and 20 ColorSpot 575 ATs. "This is a relatively small number of fixtures for the great diversity of the show," says Taietti. "But they are used intelligently and extremely well. As the Robe fixtures have so many features and functions, they are ideally suited to a demanding show like this."
LD Xie Yongming is also using a mixture of 1200W fresnels, cyc lights and two follow spots, controlled by a Compulite Sabre console. The Robe fixtures are rigged over stage apart from three ColorWash 575s a side, placed on the floor for low level cross stage lighting.
Mixer's Claudio Giovannetti is their project manager for the show. He's been liaising with his Chinese production counterparts about all the technical aspects including the positioning of the moving lights and their operation during the show, which is done by Oscar Kovax. Mixer is also supplying a JBL VerTec line array sound system, with a Yamaha 02R FOH console to the show.
(Chris Henry)
